Attachment for sewing machines



April 11, 1933. R. P. HACKET 1,903,671

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed June 3, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RALPH B HACKET April 11, 1933. R. P. HACKET ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed June 3, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6'7 Jnu Hi0: 40-

RALPH PHAc/(ET anew/Mg Patented Apr. 11, 1933 UNITED STATES RALPH P. mom, ALLEN'LOWN, PENNSYLVANIA ATTAOHHENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Application fled June a, 1932. Serial No. 6 15,191.

This invention relates to attachmentsfor sewing machines, and it has for its princlpal object the provision of a button sewing device which, by the substitution of a single part and the adjustment of a single element, setting additional mechanism into action, is converted into a button hole stitching apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the convertible button sewing and button hole stitching device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the reverse side;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same;

Figure 4 is a bottom view with parts removed so that the construction of the cams is disclosed;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through the device;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the device converted into a button hole 0 sewing attachment; a

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the clothshifting plate shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a side view showing the friction clutch in disassembled state; and

Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the motions imparted to the cloth incident to the button hole stitching operation.

Before adverting to a description in detail of the several figures, it may be stated that, assuming the needle of the sewing machine repeats its oscillatory movementsin the same path, provision must be made in stitchingthe button hole for moving the cloth in the following directions, referring to Figure 9; (a) lengthwise along one side of the button hole in one direction; (6 cross-wise at one end of the button hole; (a lengthwise of the other side of the button hole to the opposite end of the latter and then, (d transversely across the end in the opposite rection.

While the goods is being moved lengthwise of the button hole it must be given a re eated side to side motion (e) of less amplitu e than the transverse movements (6) and for the purpose of forming the stitch. this is, of course, well known. I

Now, in sewing on a button, the clothshifting element is removed so that the cloth remains stationary, while a button cu is substituted therefor, and by inhibiting t e operation of that part of the mechanism which produces reciprocatory movement of the cloth and the transverse movement of major amplitude which takes place at both extremes of the reciprocatory movement, the button cu is limited to the transverse movements of m1- nor amplitude which will take place repeatedly over the same path in view of the absence of longitudinal movement.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral 1 represents the body which is provided at one end with a collar 2 open at its forward end so as to constitute a pair of jaws 3 and 4 adapted to encompass the pressure bar, not shown, of the sewing ma- 5 chine and to be secured thereto by a pair of am screws 5 and 6. It is obvious therefore, that the body 1 when in place, will be rigid and immovable; excepting that it can be raised or lowered when the pressure bar is elevated or depressed.

A carriage 7 is mounted on the underside of the body 1, said carriage being provided with a longitudinal slot 8, Figure 5 through which extends the guide studs 9 and 10, said studs screwing into sockets formed at the lower ends of the bolts 11 and 12 which pass through the body from bottom to top. The shanks of the studs 9 and 10 serve as spacers to prevent the studs tightening against the carriage, so that the latter is reciprocable lotigitudinally along the bottom of the body 1.

Since provision must be made also for oscillatory movement of the carriage with respect to the body, the slot 8 is necessarily made considerably wider than the diameter of the studs 9 and 10. 3 Consequently, the slot 8 cannot act as a guide for the reciprocatory movement of the carriage, and in order to ensure that it shall reciprocate rectilinearly,

a guide plate 18 is rovided having slots 14 and 15 which close y fit the studs 9 and 10 laterally, said plate beingrrgetained between 1 16 and 17, struck up m said carriage.

e forward end of the carriage is provided with the button cup 18 comprising a transverse member 19 detachably secured to the bifurcated ends 20 and 21 of the carriage and ha on its lower face a frusto-conical cu sha element 22. I

e body '1 is hollow forming: casing for enclosin the mechanism whic determines the osci atory and reciprocatory movement of the carriage. This mechanism crnprises two earns, 23 and 24. These cams are m the form of cylinders and mounted on the res tive shafts 25 and 26 which are journall in the sides of the casing or body 1. The cams have cam grooves in their peripheral faces. The cam 23 has an undulating cam groove which determines the oscillatory movement of minor amplitude, forming the stitch, both in stitching the button hole and sewing on the button. The cam 24 has only one single jog to a complete-revolution, this being to provide the oscillatory movement of major amplitude which happens at each end of the button liole.

The means for imparting rotation to the cams is a lever 27 oscillatrn in'a vertical plane and having a bifurca end 28 adapted to embrace a screw, not shown, but which extends from the side of theneedle bar of the sewing machine. As the needle bar reciprocates in the gperation of the sewin machine, the lever oscillates and throu a pawl 29 and ratchet 30 ii; imparts step y step movement to the cam 23. Said cam imparts oscillatory movement of minor amplitude to the carriage by means of a lever 31 sivoted at 32 and having a roller 33 exten ing into the cam groove 34. The undulations of said cam groove produce oscillation of the lever 31, said lever is provided with a slot 35 and in said slot plays a pin 36 having a collar 37 pla g in a slot 38 formed in the carriage 7. Zillation of the lever 31 thus roduces a transverse oscillation of the cam 7 about its pivotal connection constitu by the stud 9.

Step by step movement is imparted to the cam 24 by means of a shoulder 39 formed on the lever 27 which depresses the arm 40 of a lever 41, the latter constitutin an element of a uni-directional clutch, t e parts of which are' shown in spread relation in Figure 8. The clutch consists of a disk 42 having a non-round aperture 43 which receives a similarly shaped end of the shaft 26 so that the disk 42 is thus fixed to said shaft. The disk 42 seats freely in a circular aperture 44 formed in a loose member 45. The member 45 is mounted loosely against the lever 41 with a boss 46 on said lever extending through the recess 47 formed on said loose vided with a pm 61 playing Thefrontside48ofthebom46is preferably formed with the curvature of the aperture 44 and the back side of the be! 46 has a circular curvature which co nds to the circular curvature of the recem 7. A washer 49 rests against the clutch assembly and a thumb nut 50 screws on the end of the shaft 26 and holds the washer against the clutch assembly. A light spiral spring 51 draws down on one end of the lever, normal- 1 throwing the arm 40 up against an adjusta le stop 53.

When the lever 27 is drawn upwardl by the needle bar, "the shoulder 39 resses own on the arm 40, oscillating the ever 41 and causing the u per corner of the boss 46 to press outwa ly against the periphery of the disk 42, binding the disk in the aperture 44 and can the lever 41, the disk 42 and the shaft 25 which carries the cam 24, to oscillate as a whole. When the needle bar goes down, the lever 27 is pushed downwardtiz rl:rvseing4 the shoulder 39 and permitting 1' to'oscillate in the-opposite direction under the urgefof the spring 5,1.

. 7 b means of a lever 57 similar to the lever 31 aving an arm carryrngaroller 58 which plays within the 7 ve 59 of the cam 24,

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lever being otted as at 60 and proin the slot 60 and having at its other en a roller which pla s within the slot 38.

vided wr a segmental gear 62, the teeth of which do not occupy substantially more than one-third of its circumference. Said gear is surrounded by a closed yoke 63 having an elongated slot 64, the sides of which direction. The yoke is provided with an ex-- tension 69 pivotally connected to a link 70.

Said link is pivotally mounted at one end in an extension 71 of the bodyl, the free end of the link being slotted. A in- 72 passes through the slot in said 1' and through a s otted memher73 upstanding from the carriage 7. By means of this rture 44 causing thee o 'te end of the shaft 25 is pro-' slotted connection between the carriage and link, reciprocatory movement of the yoke in one direction or the other imparts reciprocatory movement to said carriage.

By shifting the pin 72 in the slots. in said link and slotted member, the exteiit of the reciprocator movement of the carriage may be varied. y shifting the pins 36 and 61 relative .to the slots in the levers 31 and 57 respectively, the oscillatory movements of the carriage both of major and minor amplitude, may also be Varied.

The stop 53 is eccentric, and held in any position of adjustment by means of the jam screw 74 and by loosenlng this jam screw and shifting the eccentric, the lever may be moved closer or farther away from the shoulder 39 on the lever 27. By diminishing the normal distance between the arm 40 and the shoulder 39, the latter is rocked through an oscillation of greater amplitude and the angular displacement of the shaft 26 is correspondingly increased. This serves as a means for adjusting the spacing apart of the stitches along the sides of the button hole and for determining the length of the row of stitches on each side of the button hole. In other words, for a short button hole the eccentric stop 53 will be adjusted to produce a relatively great space between the arm 40 and the shoulder 39. For a long button hole an adjustment will bemade so as to produce a relatively small distance normally between said arm and said shoulder:

When a button hole is to be stitched, the plate 19 together with the button holding cup 22 is removed from the carriage 7 and the rectangular cloth-engaging foot is substituted therefor. This foot will partake of each of the movements provided for the carriage, and as above described, and the cloth will be moved accordingly, forming a row of stitches along one side of the button hole, providing a cross-over stitch at the end of the button hole, sewing a row of stitches along the opposite side of the button hole and providing a cross-over stitch in the opposite direction at the opposite end of the button hole.

It is obvious that when a button is to be sewn and the cloth-engaging foot 75 has been replaced by the button cup 22, the reciprocatory movement of the carriage and the transverse movement of major amplitude which produces the cross-over stitch at the ends of the button hole, may be inhibited by preventing the oscillation of the lever 41 which communicates motion from the cam 23 to the cam shaft 25 of the cam 24.

In order to accomplish the inhibition of these undesired movements, the eccentricity of the stop 53 is made such that when it is adjusted so that its maximum throw is normal to the arm 40 of the lever 41, said arm is placed at such a distance from the shoulder 39 as not to be engaged at all by said shoul-- der when the lever 27 oscillates. Under these circumstances, only the cam 23 will be operated producin through the intermediary of the lever 31, t e. transverse oscillations of minor amplitude which will shift the button cup to the right and to the left repeatedl in the same ath. The needle will there ore, pass first t rough one eye of thebutton and then through the other eye and so on repeatedly until the button is attached. Variation in the distance apart of the eyes of the buttons is compensated by shifting the pin 36 an appropriate distance leftwards or rightwards within the slot 35 of the lever 31.

It is thus apparent that by the mere substitutionof a button holding on for the clothshifting foot,and by the adjustment of the stop 53 to such an extent that the arm 40 is thrown .beyond the reach of the shoulder39, the button hole stitching attachment is transformed into a button sewin device, and that to chan e it back again to a utton hole stitching mec anism, it is only necessary to replace the button holding cup 22 b the cloth-shifting foot 75 and to adjust t e eccentric stop so as to bring the arm 40 of the lever 41 again within striking distance'of the shoulder 39 of the lever 27.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the details of construction as described are merely by way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Button sewing and button hole stitching attachment for sewing machines comprising a body adapted to be fixedly attached to a sewing machine, and a carriage reciprocably and oscillatably mounted at the bottom of said body, a button holding element detachably connected to said carriage, means carried by said body for imparting step by step reciprocatory movement to said carriage throughout a range of movement first in one direction and then the other, means for imparting oscillations of major amplitude to said carriage at the end of the range of its reciprocatory movements whereby the latter movements take place in opposite directions in displaced parallel paths, means for imparting a pluralit of oscillations of minor amplitude to sai carriage throughout its reciprocatory movement, the means for imparting reciprocatory movement, the major oscillations and the minor oscillations functioning for the button-hole stitching operation, needle bar operated means for actuating said minor oscillations imparting means, a connection between said last named means, and said means for im arting major oscillations and said means or imparting recipro- 4 1,eos,e11

catory movements, and adjustable means for moving said connection out of operative relation to said major oscillation imparting means and said reciproqetory movement imparting means for inhibiting the last two named movements during the button sewing operation.

2. Button sewing and button hole stitch' attachment for sewing machines as claim 1 in claim 1, the button holding element including a cup having an inverted frustoconical depression for receiving said button and holding it shiftably against the underlying cloth to which it is to be sewn. 15 In testimony whereof I afiix m si ature.

RALPH P. H AO T. 

